PINE BLUFF -- Jefferson County residents and officials remained in a wait-and-see mode Thursday as the Arkansas River neared its crest in Pine Bluff.
The county was already dealing with significant flooding before the river's crest, estimated at 51 feet Thursday night, and officials expressed hope that it wouldn't get significantly worse.
"Things are holding," Sheriff Lafayette Woods Jr. said.
Thursday's predicted crest of 51 feet was a half-foot lower than the National Weather Service's forecast Wednesday. The agency said the river at Pine Bluff is expected to remain at 51 feet for about 48 hours before it begins to recede Saturday evening.
"That's a stark difference from what we were originally told based on some of the data," Woods said. "I guess we just have to play the cards we're dealt. We were told that once it begins to recede, it's going to be at least two weeks before the river drops back below flood stage."
It will likely take longer than that.
"Two or three weeks is definitely not out of the question for points between Pine Bluff and Pendleton," said meteorologist Jeff Hood of the National Weather Service in North Little Rock. "Early July, being in flood stage, is a definite potential for the lower end of the river, for sure."
[STORY: Levee failing, time to leave, residents told]
Workers used heavy equipment Thursday to build a levee along one side of Island Harbor Marina Road, which blocked access to Riverside Drive and Island Harbor Estates, both of which are under several feet of murky river water.
Harold Staton, owner of Pine Bluff Truck and Trailer, which sits at U.S. 79 Business and Island Harbor Marina Road, said the threat of high water prompted him to evacuate.
"We've got no welders, no computers. Everything is gone," Staton said. "I moved a few trailers to higher ground and shut it down until the danger of flooding is over."
County Judge Gerald Robinson said crews began reinforcing the levee after it was discovered that wastewater pumping station pumps alongside the levee were causing vibrations, which led to fears that it could destabilize the levee.
"We're still confident it will hold," Robinson said.
Officials also were watching the Plum Bayou Levee that runs alongside Earl Chaddick Road from just north of Pine Bluff to the Wright-Pastoria area. In several places along the levee, seepage pooled alongside the road Thursday and in at least one place was running across the road.
[GALLERY: Flooding around Lake Conway]
"Anytime you have water running across the road from the levee it's a concern, but that's not a populated area," Robinson said. "As long as it's running into a field, yes, it's a concern, but as long as it's not running into a populated area we can deal with that."
Robinson said he was becoming more concerned about the aftermath of the flooding.
"We're going to be dealing with contaminated water," he said. "You know that water is nasty. It has probably gotten mixed up with overflow from some sewage ponds and stuff like that. That's going to be one of our biggest issues."
Other issues such as dealing with snakes, mosquitoes, stagnant water and infrastructure repairs are going to be expensive and time-consuming, but Robinson said the county will do what is necessary to recover.
[PHOTOS: Water reaches LR apartment complex]
"We hope to get reimbursed for everything from the federal government," he said. "I'm pretty sure that we will. We're going to keep up with everything that we're doing, but I'm not worried about that right now. Whatever we have to do to keep our citizens safe, we'll do it and go from there."
Robinson said the county is in better shape financially than it was at the beginning of the year. According to a report from Jefferson County Treasurer Vonysha Goodwin, there is just more than $115,000 in the county general fund that can be appropriated and about $423,500 in the county road fund.
"If I have to expend everything in my county road department and whatever we have in reserves, I'll use all of it. Whatever it takes," Robinson said. "We'll use it until we don't have anything left to use."
[RELATED: Talk inside shelter is about loss, days ahead]
A Section on 06/07/2019